Atherosclerosis News and Research

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Atherosclerosis is the progressive buildup of plaque - the fatty deposits and other cells - in the inner walls of the arteries. The condition is a consequence of elevated cholesterol and for many it's a silent disease, with no visible signs or symptoms. The disease can begin in early adulthood and continues to progress for the rest of a person's life. Despite the serious nature of atherosclerosis, many people do not understand how it develops and progresses.

Pulse oximeter bias undercounts sleep apnea severity in Black patients

Sleep studies often use a pulse oximeter to determine the severity of sleep apnea. But a new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham reports that pulse oximeters may undercount breathing events in Black patients, potentially leading to inaccurate severity classifications.

4 Nov 2026

Targeted nanoimmunotherapy reduces atherosclerotic plaque burden in mice

This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B discusses a targeted nanoimmunotherapy designed to restore macrophage clearance of dying cells, promote an anti-inflammatory phenotype, and reduce atherosclerotic plaque burden in mice.

4 Nov 2026

Eating walnuts was linked to higher IgG levels, but what does that mean for health?

A two-year randomized trial involving 474 older adults found that daily consumption of 30–60 grams of walnuts was associated with 6% higher total serum IgG concentrations compared with a control diet, with an 11% difference observed among US participants. Walnut consumption did not significantly affect IgM, MDA-LDL or MDA-LDL-specific antibodies, and whether the modest IgG difference has meaningful cardiovascular benefits remains unknown.

1 Nov 2026

Low vitamin B12 is linked to heart disease. Supplements tell a different story

A narrative review published in Nutrition Journal examines how vitamin B12 deficiency may contribute to cardiovascular disease through elevated homocysteine, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and altered methylation. The authors found that B12 supplementation has not consistently prevented heart attacks or cardiovascular deaths in clinical trials, although combined B-vitamin therapy may modestly reduce stroke risk, particularly in populations without folic acid fortification.

27 Oct 2026

Heated tobacco products cause immediate cardiovascular and genetic damage

Just one session of heated tobacco product use results in measurable damage to the blood vessels, according to a study published today (Tuesday) in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

27 Oct 2026

Beyond ‘bad’ cholesterol: new clues to the risk of heart disease

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, shed new light on the remaining risk of heart disease, even after the known risk factor of ‘bad’ cholesterol is brought down to a healthy level.

13 Oct 2026

Review highlights EP4 receptor as target for inflammatory diseases

A review published in Genes & Diseases highlights the prostaglandin E2 receptor subtype 4 (EP4) as an important regulator of inflammation and a promising therapeutic target for a wide range of inflammatory and inflammation-related diseases.

12 Oct 2026

Targeting lipophagy could help treat metabolic and oxidative stress-related diseases

A review published in Genes & Diseases highlights lipophagy, the cellular process that selectively breaks down lipid droplets, as a potentially important therapeutic target for conditions driven by disrupted lipid metabolism and oxidative stress.

12 Oct 2026

Masked high blood pressure linked to higher risk of falls in older adults

Masked high blood pressure in adults older than age 78 is associated with a 70% higher risk of falls compared to high blood pressure readings in the office and at home among peers, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026.

9 Oct 2026

Childhood poverty increases risk of atherosclerosis in adulthood

People who grew up in low-income families are at greater risk of developing atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries later in life.

7 Oct 2026

Restoring cellular recycling helps the body clear harmful zombie cells

As we grow older, our bodies accumulate "zombie cells"-living cells that have stopped dividing or functioning normally-but linger in our tissues, contributing to chronic inflammation and age-related diseases.

5 Oct 2026

Enlicitide offers oral treatment option for patients avoiding cholesterol injections

In 2015, a new class of cholesterol-lowering injectable drugs called PCSK9-inhibitors was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a result of clinical research led by UT Southwestern.

5 Oct 2026

Childhood family environments impact midlife cardiovascular and cognitive health

Doctoral dissertation research investigated how the family environment in childhood affects health in midlife.

30 Sep 2026

Exercise may reshape your gut microbiome to support recovery

Research reveals how exercise alters gut microbes, influencing recovery and proposing 'intestinal rehabilitation' for those with limited exercise capacity.

29 Sep 2026

Heated tobacco users had more hypertension, but the story is not that simple

A large Japanese real-world cohort study found that current heated tobacco product users had a higher risk of developing hypertension than never-smokers in the primary adjusted analysis. However, the association weakened in several sensitivity analyses, and the observational study could not separate the effects of current heated tobacco use from previous cigarette exposure.

27 Sep 2026

Low spinal bone density may predict faster brain aging

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that lower bone mineral density in the spine was associated with faster cognitive decline and accelerated age-related white matter injury, according to a new study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

22 Sep 2026

Rice, seafood and water may help explain striking differences in metal exposure across US communities

Researchers compared urinary trace-metal profiles across 666 adults from six ethnic groups in three US cohorts, with up to 19 elements measured and paired serum measurements available for the Asian Indian MASALA cohort. Distinct metal patterns emerged across populations, with the findings suggesting that diet, drinking-water sources, regional hydrogeology, urban-rural conditions, smoking, and physiological handling may all contribute to differences in exposure profiles.

8 Sep 2026